Portland Fire Face a Brutal First Season

We think the Portland Fire could be the worst team in WNBA history.

That sounds harsh, especially for a first-year expansion team, but the question is unavoidable: who is going to score the basketball? Expansion teams are supposed to struggle. Nobody should expect a new franchise to immediately enter the league looking polished, deep, and ready to compete. Portland will get some grace because of that. But even with the expansion disclaimer, this roster construction deserves serious criticism.

Of the three expansion teams built over the last two years, Portland has clearly done the worst job putting together a competitive group. The Fire do not appear to have enough shot creation, enough proven offensive structure, or enough reliable scoring to survive night after night in a league that continues to get deeper and more athletic.

That is the problem. Losing is one thing. Looking overmatched from the start is another.

There may be a silver lining. If Portland is as bad as we expect, the Fire should be in prime position for the No. 1 draft pick. And if JuJu Watkins enters the 2027 WNBA Draft, Portland could suddenly become one of the most interesting teams in the league a year from now. A franchise-changing star can alter everything.

But that is not a guaranteed outcome, and hope is not a strategy.

For now, Portland gets an F for its early team-building approach. The plan looks too passive, too thin, and too dependent on future lottery luck.

Still, there is a real positive here. Women’s basketball in Portland should be a tremendous success. The city has the kind of sports culture that can fully embrace this team, even through early struggles.

The Fire may lose plenty of games, but Portland will show up.